Mumbai Indians have suffered a huge blow ahead of the start of IPL 2020 as star bowler Lasith Malinga is set to miss the initial part of the latest edition of the cash-rich league due to personal reasons. The new season of Indian Premier League is set to begin on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates after its originally planned start in March 2020 was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Mumbai Indians Team SWOT Analysis: Ahead of IPL 2020 Find Out Positives And Negatives of Rohit Sharma’s MI.

According to a report from ESPNcricinfo, Lasith Malinga will miss the start of IPL 2020 and will only arrive late into the season. It is understood that the 36-year-old’s father has been ill and might require surgery in the coming weeks. The Sri Lanka international wants to be by his side and will be training in Colombo in the meantime to get himself match-fit. Lasith Malinga Excluded From Sri Lanka’s 24-Men List for Second ‘Residential Training Camp’.

Lasith Malinga is expected to join the Mumbai Indians squad during the business end of the tournament as his experience could come in handy for the record champions. It was the pacer who led Rohit Sharma’s side to their fourth title as he defended eight runs in the last over of the 2019 IPL final against Chennai Super Kings.

It is understood that one key factor on Malinga’s decision, is the Sri Lanka government’s policy on quarantine protocol. As ear the rules, anyone entering the country must spend mandatory 14 days in isolation, which means if the pacer returns from UAE he had to spend time in the necessary quarantine period before meeting his father.

Lasith Malinga has been a part of Mumbai Indians squad since the tournament's inception in 2018 and despite taking the role of the franchises bowing mentor during the 2018 edition, he was re-bought by Mumbai for the 2019 edition, which they won. The Sri Lanka pacer is the highest wicket-taker in the tournament.

However, Malinga has been short of match practice as he did not participate in the residential conditioning camps Sri Lanka Cricket organised in June and July. The 36-year-old last played for Sri Lanka in a T20I match during the home series against West Indies earlier this year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2020 05:37 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).